600 Steps

600 Steps is an exchange to mark the 600th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Poland and Turkey. The project aims to explore the theme of cities and the memory of two cities in particular: Istanbul and Warsaw.

The interdisciplinary project will be carried out by dancers, musicians, choreographers, a composer and an architect/designer. 600 Steps is a project by Taldans, which was established by the Turkish dancers and choreographers Mustafa Kaplan and Filiz Sızanlı. The project is created together with Iza Szostak, Karol Tymiński, Wojtek Ziemilski , Zorka Wollny and Turkish architect Kürşad Özdemir.

The artists will work in urban spaces as well as in the studio. They will experience and explore the city as collectors. As a result, the viewers will be able to see different kinds of installations, accompanied by performances and found-objects, which will allow for a closer meeting with the artists.

The project consists of 4 phases:

Phase 1: In August 2013, two artists from Istanbul – Mustafa Kaplan and Filiz Sızanlı of Taldans, worked in Warsaw. For the first four days of their stay, the duo explored the city and later organized blind dates with Polish artists. After working separately, the established group worked together on the final project during a three-day workshop.

Phase 2: In February 2014, four Polish artists traveled to Istanbul for a ten-day residency. For the first four days, they lived in different parts of the city to explore it on their own. Later on, the whole group gathered at SALT Galata to brainstorm 600 new ways of exploring the city.

Phase 3: All artists will arrive in Warsaw for another, one-week residency. At the end of their stay, the final project will have its debut in Warsaw, on 28 September, 2014, as part of the Body/Mind Festival.

Phase 4: As the last stage of the project, the final production will also be presented at SALT Galata for Istanbul audiences on 30 October, 2014.

Taldans was established in Istanbul in 2003, as a project of Mustafa Kaplan and Filiz Sızanlı. They have organized projects such as Sek Sek (2003), Solum (2004), Graf (2006), Dokuman (2009) and Eskiyeni (2011).

Taldans have performed more than 100 times around the world including in Belgium, France, Austria, the Netherlands, Brazil, Cambodia, Japan, Korea, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Morocco, Tunisia, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Norway, Slovenia and the USA.

The project was supported by Adam Mickiewicz Institute to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the establishment of Polish-Turkish diplomatic relations. The Turkish supporters of the project are Prof. Dr. Nezih Orhon, Eskisehir Anadolu University Faculty of Communication and Salt Galata.